Volunteering Short Course
About this course
What is the Volunteering Short Course?
The ASDAN Volunteering Short Course is a flexible, portfolio-based course for learners aged 13 and over. It accredits between 10 and 60 hours of volunteering activities and skills development.
The course supports learners to prepare for volunteering, take part in meaningful activities, record their experiences and reflect on their progress and contribution.
Learners explore different volunteering roles, causes and organisations. They can research volunteering opportunities and role models, prepare for their first day, set personal goals, keep a record of their experiences and consider what they have learned.
Volunteering could involve supporting other people, helping animals, protecting the environment, contributing to a charity or taking part in community events. The course is suitable for first-time volunteers and learners who want recognition for volunteering they already undertake.
Through practical experience, planning and reflection, learners develop confidence, responsibility and employability alongside ASDAN’s six core skills: learning, communicating, decision making, thinking, team working and self-awareness.
Challenges can be interpreted and adapted to suit learners’ individual abilities, needs, interests and volunteering contexts.
Delivery format: Volunteering Short Course is available through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform, or in student book format. Some Equitas challenges differ from the student book version. Use one format per learner group. Equitas challenges can be downloaded.
| Learner age | 13+, 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16+, 16–19, 19+, Adults |
| Level (indicative for non-regulated courses) | Entry 3, Level 1 |
| Key Stage | Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 5 |
| Education setting | Mainstream school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, EOTAS, PRU, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Voluntary sector, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Social services, Secondary |
| Guided learning hours | 10–20 hours, 20–60 hours |
| Regulated | Non-regulated course |
| Certification | Externally certificated, digital or hard-copy (additional fee) |
| Location | England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland), Wales |
| UCAS points | No UCAS points available |
| Available on Equitas | Yes |
| Pathway | Personal Effectiveness |
Helpful information
Who is the Volunteering Short Course for?
Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills.
The Volunteering as an Adult Short Course follows a similar curriculum but has been designed with adult volunteers in mind, such as those engaged in employee volunteering schemes or doing charity work.
Because Short Courses are multi-level, the focus is on completing challenges and skills development according to individual ability, rather than attainment at a specific level.
Facts and figures
- Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
- Internally moderated
- Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
- Can count towards up to three credits for the Personal Development Programmes
- Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full
Requirements
Each learner must have their own registration. Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio.
This should include:
- a record of the challenges completed, with supporting evidence
- recording documents showing how the learner planned and reviewed their activities
- a summary of achievement highlighting skills development
- a personal statement.
Equitas organises evidence against each challenge within the platform.
We have created guidance for members delivering ASDAN Short Courses, including planning, requirements, quality assurance and certification.
Course content
Challenge content in the Volunteering Short Course on Equitas has been updated from the original Volunteering and Volunteering as an Adult Short Course student books. Challenges in the new course, available on Equitas, are written so they can be used with learners of different ages, including adults. For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners.
The Volunteering Short Course available on Equitas has four modules:
- Introduction to volunteering
- Preparing to volunteer
- Your volunteering journey
- Volunteering reflection
Download sample pages from the Volunteering Short Course on Equitas
The Volunteering and Volunteering as an Adult Short Course student books each have three modules:
- Get ready to volunteer
- Your volunteering experiences
- Making the most of your volunteering
Download sample pages from the Volunteering Short Course student book
For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:
ASDAN training supports educators to deliver this course successfully. Sessions provide an introduction, alongside guidance on planning, delivery, assessment and internal quality assurance. Training is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
Training is included in ASDAN membership for organisations joining or renewing after 1 April 2026, excluding tailored INSET.
Book training in the members area
ASDAN members can also take part in our special interest groups. These online sessions focus on specific areas of practice and provide opportunities for discussion, collaboration and networking with other members.
All registration costs are per learner. Each learner must have their own registration. Registrations are valid for three years from the date of purchase.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Short Course student book | £12 |
| Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login | £12 |
| Short Course PDF certificate | Free |
| Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) | £3.75 |
Volume pricing for Equitas Short Courses
We offer scalable pricing for Short Courses on Equitas. This pricing applies only to new registrations made together in a single transaction for the same Equitas Short Course:
- 1–9 learners: £12 per registration
- 10–19 learners: £8 per registration
- 20–29 learners: £6 per registration
- 30+ learners: £4 per registration
Products
Course resources
Evaluation chart (individual)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Evaluation chart (group)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Planning a group or team task
This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.
Self-evaluation template
This generic self-evaluation template can be used by learners to evaluate almost any group activity. Learners are asked to record how they felt about the activity and pick out the best and worst bits, before reflecting on what they could do better next time. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Teamwork health check
This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Macmillan WBCM: Assembly PowerPoint presentation
Introduce the World's Biggest Coffee Morning in a school assembly with this fantastic PowerPoint from Macmillan. Assembly plans for primary/secondary are also available to support the presentation.
Macmillan WBCM: Bunting
Promote your World's Biggest Coffee Morning with these fantastic buntings templates from Macmillan.
Macmillan WBCM: Primary assembly plan
Introduce the World's Biggest Coffee Morning with this fantastic assembly plan from Macmillan. Download the supporting PowerPoint presentation, or create your own.
Macmillan WBCM: Primary activity sheet
Primary pupils can design their own cupcake invite for the World's Biggest Coffee Morning with this fantastic template from Macmillan.
Macmillan WBCM: Secondary activity sheet
Secondary pupils can design their own poster for the World's Biggest Coffee Morning with this fantastic worksheet from Macmillan.
Macmillan WBCM: Secondary assembly plan
Introduce the World's Biggest Coffee Morning with this fantastic assembly plan from Macmillan. Download the supporting PowerPoint presentation, or create your own.
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : Word version (mandatory)